A Tradition of Comfort Food with Flair - original recipes, including gluten-free, nondairy, vegan and vegetarian as well as those for omnivores; classic comfort food prepared with care and the finest seasonal, sustainable and organic ingredients.

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01 October 2010

Chocolate cupcakes (or fairy cakes, as they are sometimes called in the UK) are sooo good. I was going to make some from my own wheat flour recipe, but then found this great gluten-free recipe. When 100 Best Gluten-Free Recipesby Carol Fenster arrived in the mail for review, the first thing I looked for was chocolate cupcakes. And there they were! Like I said before: Cupcakes - In or Out, Trendy or Passé, Who Cares? I was ready for some more!

Carol Fenster is an internationally recognized expert on gluten-free cooking and is the founder and president of Savory Palate, Inc., a company that provides information for the gluten-free lifestyle.

"The recipes in this book were selected from my award-winning 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, the largest gluten-free cookbook ever published. My goal for this smaller, very useful book," says Fenster, "is to give home cooks the 'must-have' recipes, the dishes people ask me for again and again, along with just-what-you-need-to-know information to make the book a go-to guide for people living the gluten-free life."This book has delicious recipes in every category. I'm going to start with chewy granola bars, sun-dried tomato quiche, banana bread, chicken noodle soup, macaroni and cheese and basic pastry crust. After all, I am all about classic comfort food! A lot of the recipes call for a blend of gluten-free flours (I used all Bob's Red Mill products) that you can combine in quantity and then measure out for recipes.

Carol's Sorghum Blend(Makes 4 cups)1 1/2 cups sorghum flour1 1/2 cups potato starch or cornstarch (I used potato starch)1 cup tapioca flourWhisk the ingredients together until well blended. Store, tightly covered, in a dark, dry place for up to 3 months. You may refrigerate or freeze the blend, but bring to room temperature before using. You may double or triple the recipe.(The cupcake recipe below is written out a little differently from the book; for example, not offering the ingredient options that I didn't use or the layer cake directions. And, since I was using the oil rather than the butter option, I mixed the sugar with the oil and eggs rather than with the dry ingredients.)

3 In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat sugar and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

4 Using a 1/4-cup measure, fill the bake cups with a scant 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 to 20 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick.

5 Immediately remove from pans and cool on wire rack for an hour. They must be thoroughly cool before frosting.

Learn something new every day! Why are they called fairy cakes in the UK? They look delicious whether they're In or they're Out! I use Bob's Red Mill products, too. Did you see my post about gluten free pasta made from cabernet flour made from grape seeds and skins? Eat your Wine! http://shescookin.com/2010/09/29/blackmarket-bakery/

These look fabulous! Well done. Thanks for your comments and the re-tweet of my blog post. I haven't been posting much lately due to a broken oven. Your comments are always lovely and very much appreciated. Stay Well.

Can I just say these are requested by all my friends and family for every birthday, holiday, shower or any party in general! I make the traditional recipes frosting with cracked sea salt on top! Amazing!!!

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Here you'll find original recipes that warm the body and the soul, recipes of the sort to become a family tradition in your family as well as mine. And I go outside the purview of food blogs with the occasional article about tea, wine and travel.